ith the mere
indulgence of gazing upon the aesthetic beauty of temples and colonnades.
Climate, however, has much to do in this matter.

At night we had a general conference at the encampment respecting the
future march, as we had now finished with the 'Adwan Arabs. {61}

The resolution was taken to proceed on the morrow to _Umm Kais_, under
the guidance of Shaikh Yusuf of Soof, and proceed thence to Tiberias.
He, however, would not ensure but that we might be met and mulcted by the
Beni Sukh'r for leave to traverse their territory. He was to receive 500
piastres, (nearly 5 pounds,) besides 50 piastres for baksheesh; but
whatever we might have to pay the Beni Sukh'r was to be deducted from the
above stipulation.

_Thursday_, 17_th_.--Great noise of jackdaws under my vaulted roof at
break of day, they having mustered up courage to return to their nests
there during the night.

During the packing up of the luggage, I took a final and lonely walk
along the colonnades to the Naumachia, and outside the wall S.W. of the
Amman gate, where I observed some columns, or portions of such, of
twisted pattern; returned by the bridge. The thrush, the cuckoo, and the
partridge were heard at no great distance, near the stream.

We left upon the meadow a parliamentary debate of Arabs gathered around
the chief's spear, all the men ranting and screaming as only such people
can, and they only at the beginning or end of a bargain.

Slowly we defiled in a long line over rising ground, higher and higher,
upon a good highway, bordered on each side by numerous sarcophagi; as
along the Roman Appian Way; passed the well of _Shaikh el Bakkar_, and a
sarcophagus with a long inscription in Greek, which I regretted not
having discovered yesterday, so as to allow of copying it. From an
eminence we took the last view of the pompous colonnades of Jerash.

Away through the green woods of broad-leaved oak, among which were to be
found fine and numerous pine-trees, the air fragrant with honeysuckle,
and the whole scene enlivened by sweet song of the birds, there were
hills in sight all covered with pine.

Around Soof we found none of the druidical-looking remains mentioned by
Irby and Mangles, but some romantic landscape and vineyards all over the
hills.

Ten minutes beyond Soof we had a Roman milestone lying at our feet. Some
of us set to work in clearing earth away from it, searching for an
inscription, but could not spare sufficient time to